Cyclone Ockhi

India, Sri Lanka - Updated Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Cyclone Ockhi

Updated: 12/5/2017 3:17:41 AMAfter leaving a trail of destruction on the southern coast, Cyclone Ockhi is expected to make landfall in coastal Gujarat today with squally winds and heavy rainfall. Maharashtra, too, is on a state of high alert to deal with the side-effects of the stormy weather. A precautionary holiday has been announced for all schools in the coastal Maharashtra districts of Palghar, Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, in view of the predictions for the cyclone.Source: DORRIS

Updated: 12/4/2017 5:03:22 AMAfter crossing Lakshadweep on Sunday, cyclone Ockhi has set its course north and is expected to make landfall in Maharashtra and south Gujarat in the next 24 hours.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an alert Monday, warning fishermen against venturing into the sea as coastal areas are likely to experience strong winds.
The Gujarat government issued instructions to district magistrates, asking them to take adequate precautionary measures. NDRF teams have been put on alert and deployed at critical locations.
As many as 60 people were rescued by the Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard.Source: DORRIS

Updated: 12/3/2017 2:50:08 AMThe cyclone classified into Severe Cyclone category re-curved north- north-east in the Arabian sea impacting coastal districts of Kerala on December 1.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has already warned that “high waves” towering 3-4.9m would be seen 10 km off Kerala’s coast today.
According to a joint bulletin issued by IMD and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) released yesterday, the severe cyclonic storm, centered over Lakshadweep, is likely to further intensify in the next 12 hours. At least 10 locations on the islands would witness high waves ranging from 4.8-7.4m in the next 24 hours, along with “heavy to very heavy rainfall”, said the bulletin.Source: DORRIS

Updated: 12/1/2017 2:30:53 AMAt 1 pm on Thursday, the IMD notified that the deep depression was centered about 340 kilometre west-northwest of Galle in Sri Lanka and 60 kilometre south of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
Chief Meteorologist at Skymet Weather Mahesh Palawat said that the system is travelling in warm waters as Arabian Sea surface temperatures are as warm as 30°C. "Besides this, vertical wind shear is also low. Both the factors will keep the conditions conducive for further intensification of the system into a severe cyclonic storm,” he said.Source: DORRIS

Published Thursday, November 30, 2017

Storm with heavy rain and winds across Sri Lanka have left at least seven people dead and 23 people missing, government sources said.

The Disaster Management Center said Thursday up to 150 mm more rain could fall from a deep depression 200 km off the coast of the capital, Colombo.

It says 13 of the people reported missing are fishermen in four boats. The navy has deployed a search team to find the missing fishermen.

Schools were closed Thursday across southern and central provinces and planes diverted as heavy rain battered the island.

Fallen trees killed three people late Wednesday and blocked roads and railway tracks, according to disaster management centre spokesman Pradeep Kodippily.

"Many houses have been partially damaged, mainly in the central hill districts, and power supplies have been hit," Kodippily added.

At least 15 people have been treated for injuries in storm accidents, a spokesperson for the Colombo National Hospital said.

The national weather service predicted heavy rains and strong wind gusts of up to 70 kilometers an hour across Sri Lanka.
Source: DORRIS